Dead of Night

"From Minnesota to South Africa to Mozambique to Vietnam, Michael Stanley's Shoot the Bastards is an extraordinary tale of the extreme measures taken to combat international poaching and smuggling." —C.J. Box, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Wolf Pack

When her friend Michael Davidson goes missing while researching a National Geographic story on rhino poaching and rhino-horn smuggling, investigative journalist Crystal Nguyen wangles a NG assignment to try to find him and finish his story. Within a week in Africa she's been hunting poachers, hunted by their bosses, and arrested in connection with a murder. Plus, everyone is after a briefcase full of money that she doesn't want, but can't safely get rid of.

Crystal quickly realizes how little she knows about Africa and about the war between poachers and conservation officers. What she does know is she must find Michael and she's committed to preventing a major plot to secure a huge number of horns. She heads to the major market, Vietnam, dodging the local mafia while uncovering leads. Exposing the financing is only half the battle. Harder will be convincing South African authorities to take action before it's too late—for the rhinos and for her.

Michael Stanley, author of the award-winning Detective Kubu mystery series, introduces an intriguing new protagonist while exposing one of southern Africa's most vicious conflicts with its Asian puppet-masters.